How to fix age-related skin damage fast

I don't remember when I first found out I was a Fitzpatrick Type II. According to the Fitzpatrick Scale, developed in 1975 by a Harvard dermatologist to classify skin types, I'm a fair person who shouldn't have ever tried to tan. (Damn you, bronzed 1980s!) Maybe that's why, in my later 40s, I'm spotty, a little saggy in the cheeks and seeing lines creep in.

Much of this is caused by the environment, mainly ultraviolet rays; it's called extrinsic aging. Other factors are smoking (not in my case), lack of sleep, a poor diet and repeated expressions (guilty!). Intrinsic aging, which happens naturally as skin cell turnover slows down, doesn't help. But I've learned it's never too late to press rewind (I even tried Botox!). Find your own skin fixes here.

Sun protection is key, says New York City dermatologist Dr. Elizabeth Hale. Use a broad-spectrum block that stops line-causing UVA rays. Then fight back with retinoids, which fill fine lines by boosting collagen, and an antioxidant-rich moisturizer.

• Retinol serum. Retinoids can irritate, so start out by applying just a pea-size dab to your entire face three nights a week, then increase frequency. One that's not harsh on skin: La Roche- Posay Redermic R treatment.

• Heavy-duty night cream. Skin loses antioxidants (which fight the damage that leads to lines) during the day, so you should aim to replenish them at night. Enter Estée Lauder Advanced Time Zone Night Creme, with rhodochrosite extract.

The office option: Injectable botulinum toxins are really the gold standard, but you may also consider Fraxel Restore, a minimally invasive laser that evens fine lines and texture.

Because oil production and cell turnover slow down with age, skin gets drier and duller. To help moisturizers penetrate, exfoliate regularly, advises New York City dermatologist Dr. Francesca Fusco. Follow with mega hydrators, morning and night.

Blame hormonal changes for breakouts in your 30s and 40s (as you go on and off birth control pills, have babies or segue into perimenopause). Use products for mature skin, and no squeezing zits: "As we get older, the marks take longer to clear," says Day.

The office option: "Medications that help include topical and oral antibiotics and retinoids, oral contraceptives and a drug called spironolactone," says Hale, who also uses peels containing salicylic acid, lasers (Isolaz or Smoothbeam) or photodynamic therapy to help clear skin.

I want even skin tone

Freckles and age spots happen in direct proportion to cumulative sun exposure, explains Dr. Fusco. Look for products with vitamin C, kojic acid or licorice root. And once you've gone to the trouble of lightening spots, preserve the results with good sunscreen habits.

• Sunscreen plus moisturizer. Any SPF 30 or above sunscreen will help prevent new spots, but one with botanical extracts, like L'Occitane Immortelle Brightening Shield SPF 40, also lightens existing ones.